PIR 4/8/2011 Alum Group!

Hey all,

I know you guys are starting to think what to give your sailors for a gift once they graduate bootcamp.  I want to give you two suggestions.  A rating coin ($10), and a CAC card reader ($20).  These are extremely cheap gifts, but they will mean alot to your sailor. 

The coin is just a cool think, and my son actually gave me mine.  And I totally love it.  However, since my nephew is about to get rated, I will be giving my coin to him.  Just so he can give it to the next family member that joins the Navy.  Have it engraved, with the PIR date so they always will remember.

Secondly, in my eyes, a sailor without a CAC card reader is a total fool.  WIth the CAC card reader you have the ability to look ahead 1 year to see what billets (jobs) and location are for all the ratings.  When you sailors get to "A" school, they will fill out a "Dream Sheet".  This is places in the Navy that you dream of going to.  Even though most billets are given by class rank, ie meaning if your the best in your class then you get the 1st choice of orders.  However, that is not always the case.  So you look at what billets are availible and you gear your dream sheet for those open billets.  Most sailors in "A" school haven't a clue where they want to go, and they will put places that don't even exist for their ratings.  They look like idiots when they do this.  So, to makes your sailor stand out, they put certain ships and locations for available billets for their ratings.  Truly, your sailor will not appreciate this gift immediately.  They will think it's stupid.  However, where their bored, they will plug it in and will see how powerful it actually is.  Once they see it working, they will use it quite a bit.  But again, they will think it's a stupid gift when they 1st get it.  To me, its so funny when the deppers I work with finally get to "A" school and finally get off their butts and plug it in.  They are aways so greatful because they can do every thing from the confort of their barracks rooms.  To give you an idea what this does, go to this link, and on the right hand side click CMS/ID. 

http://www.anchordesk.navy.mil/Training/NCTT/html/11/loframe11.htm 

I posted both of these (the coin and the CAC card reader), and it will give you a better idea on what it does (I know you guys haven't a clue, thus the education). 

http://www.navyfamilies.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=17616

http://www.navyformoms.com/forum/topics/holiday-gifts-for-active-du...

Another idea for a gift is to get a NEX Gift Card, that they can get any supplies and necessities that they need. You can order them online.  If you can not make to PIR there are gift packages that you can order and they will be given to them, the info for that is on the form letter.

mumziepooh - I thought it was funny too....  Beleive me, my humor is totally warped. 

I just love Thursday's (letter day for us)! He sounds busy getting ready.....

Craig thanks for the gift ideas....Do you know if the card reader is available at the NEX in GL?

ProudNavyMom - Yes, they can wear a necklace with a St. Christopher.  However, the rule says: 

"d. Necklaces/Choker. While in uniform, only one necklace may be worn and it shall not be visible.". 

 In Navy terms, the word "Shall" means there is no changing it.  The Commanding Officer can't make exceptions.  Example:  Alot of ships I was on, the CO will say, heck we'll be underway for 100 days, if you guys want to grow beards, so be it.  So we had beards for the next 99 days.  Which was kind of cool.  However, that was because the rule didn't say "Shall". 

Understand too, that the C.O. of any command can make rules harder.  If they think a necklace will hurt their sailors, they will ban them.  Example, if your running an obstical course, and your St. Christopher medal happens to point into you chest, you hit the slam against a lumber wall, it could puncture you skin & chest, then your screwed.   

Go read this uniform rule on page 11 of 15. 

http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/4934C9FA-A5A7-47F4-9C0B-D8DB20...

aj'mom - You will hear about a million times to buy your stuff at the NEX, because it's tax free.  Let me tell you, that's a bunch of crap.  The NEX cannot keep up with the local market, ie Best Buy, Circuit Circity, Micro Center.  They always have stuff that is kind-of out of date. 

The "Tax Free" part gets alot of people.  Example, suppose the NEX and Best Buy have the same exact TV.  Then NEX sells it for $1000 which is exactly what you pay since it's tax free, and Best Buy sells it for $800, but you pay 10% tax = $880.  Heck I would rather buy it at Best Buy.

Per computers, for some reason the NEX always sells the more expensive HP computers at $700.  Heck, I would rather buy a cheap Dell at Best Buy for $319, and heck I could get two for the price of one.  If your a gamer and need a quicker computer, the go online at the MicroCenter and find one.  The bottomline is compare the models, and what is the current series out there.  Don't just jump on the band wagon and think the NEX is cheaper, most of the time it's not.

Per the CAC card reader, the ones the NEX sells are not that good.  The MicroCenter has better ones for less money.  Those links have other sites as well, I beleive one was Nextag.com.  Bottomline is check around...

Lastly - You guys know I want to help you out.  However for the past couple days I been posting pictures another way by posting links to the pictures, example The Marlinespike.  I truly hate links for pictures, because I like seeing them immediately. (like MamaSeal's pictures above).

So, I will leave this up to you guys, do you want pictures or not?  If you want them, they will be immediately seen, no links.  Majority rules... (and no, I won't put them in the discussion area per the reason I gave before).

Here is an example of how it will be seen:

The USS Marlinespike:

Liberty is ‘time off’ from the daily routine. Graduating Sailors will be granted liberty to go off-base during the day with their families.

1. Graduating Sailors may not smoke, drive, or consume alcoholic beverages while on liberty.
2. Graduating Sailors must stay within a 50-mile radius of RTC.
3. Graduating Sailors must remain in their complete uniform while on liberty. If they are engaging in physical activity or swimming, they must be in authorized Navy issued workout gear.
4. Liberty expires at 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 p.m. on Sunday. No overnight liberty is authorized. Due to security checks and transit time, please allow ample time for graduating Sailors to walk back to their assigned ship prior to the end of liberty.
5. Families may not enter the base after graduation and will need to meet graduating Sailors for liberty at the main RTC gate.
6. Graduating Sailors departing RTC for follow-on training the same day as graduation or in a duty status will be granted limited on-base liberty.
7. Graduating Sailors receive an in-depth liberty briefing prior to their graduation day.

I just saw this on Facebook. "Red Friday"  Very touching.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=194414383922254&index=1

Got a letter from my SR and he said that Division 124 did not pass inspections. He wrote that a lot of SRs were upset and some were crying. He said his RDCs were leaving because of this. How will this impact their PIR date, the moral and ability to come to together and prepare for Battlestations?

They won a flag for PFAs!

Pics, please!

Oh dear, SR Mom - i really don't know what that means.  I know that this is not summer camp but I think that the Navy has a LOT of money invested in these guys and it is to their best interest to get them properly trained and passing.  I fully would expect some butt kicking but I don't think they will leave them stranded.  Man - I hope they come together for Battlestations!  They are our brother division and we do it together, as I understand.

Ok guys, I will continue posting pictures...  Thanks for your feedback, it's actually easier for me.

Ok, since I haven't posted about the SEAL group yet.  Let's do a little trivia 1st.... 

Q - What was the division number of the first all-SEAL candidate division to train together in bootcamp?  (hint PIR was April 27, 2007)

a. Division 149

b. Division 801

c. Division 822

d. Division 922

*** Answer below the pictures ***

Answer:  It was Division 149 which PIR'd April 27th, 2007.  Above picture is of Commodore, Naval Special Warfare Group Four, Capt. Evin Thompson, when he talked with recruits of Division 149, the first all-SEAL candidate division to train together in boot camp. Thompson told the recruits they have completed the first step toward achieving their goal of becoming Navy SEALs with the completing of boot camp. The division will attend Naval Military Training Classes at Training Support Center Great Lakes prior to reporting for BUD/S training together in May 2007.

One thing to remember is that by the time you get your letters things that have been mentioned or that they are struggling with have probably been worked out by the time you read it. try not to stress over what they put in the letters to you, remain positive at all times for them.

As far as RDC's leaving maybe some of them were not doing their job and they were reassigned or maybe it was a tactic to get them to work together, do not worry about it. 

Ochaos - that is good advice - I remember my son's freshman year in college - he called me one night absolutely furious over some prank that had been played on him - he took it the wrong way and was determined to just quit and come home because he hated that stupid school and come get him now....on and on and on.  I calmed him down - talked him off the cliff so to speak and he said good-bye.  I worried for days over this.  Just fretted and fretted.  When we finally had a chance to talk, I asked him how things were and talked about the prank.  He had forgotten all about it in just minutes - someone came into his room right after we talked and asked him to go shoot pool and get a pizza.  He was fine but I worried for days.  He neglected to tell me.  I KNOW that we are going thru alot of the same thing - only magnified since there is a definite lack of communication!

Thanks all. I found out that they will not set back a whole division. Now that I think about it it doesn't make sense that their RDCs would leave. I am sure by now the situation has changed and these are tactics to get them to work together.

Craig~photos please...

Alot of great info. today.   Got a letter from my SR...doing pretty well, division as a whole not so good.

20 days to go!  Have a great weekend...

Hey ladies...

I need some help proofing a document I finished last night concerning Battlestations for my deppers website.  What I would like is 3 people that are good with grammer & proper wording (there, they're, their) to review this document for me.  This document is written from a deppers point of view, so I don't want large words, just simple words that most teenagers would understand.

You don't need to know anything about Battlestations (but after reading this you will know 98% more than most here at N4M).  I just need the wording checked.  Secondly, I don't want this document published or posted yet.  Just because I don't want a bunch of wrong versions out there.  In about 1 week, I will release the final document to this PIR group. 

So, the 1st three of you that say "I'll do it", then I will ask for you email address in a N4M message so I can send the PDF file to you.  What do you get out of doing this?  Well, one, you are helping a future depper that is in the food chain to go to Great Lakes for bootcamp.  Secondly, you will know Battlestation more than 98% of the others here at N4M's.  Diannep is already looking at it for me, but what I want is a novice that doesn't know much about the Navy or Battlestations to look at it.  Why?  Because once you know the Navy lingo, you over look some words that would confuse a newbie.  Make sense?

So just post here on the comment wall, and I will contact you later today.

(note:  Please don't suggest to use the word "like" more often)

LoveSally - Your #2.....Need one more....

(Message on it's way)

Good catch Riptide.  That is exactly what I was looking for...

.Let me tell you, one thing I always mess up is the work "you" and "your".  In my orignal post below I wrote " then I will ask for you email address", it should have been " then I will ask for your email address"

I'm, like, a newbie that has already, like, learned a lot from you, Craig and like, this site! LOL

I make my teenage daughters stop speaking and start over when they say like!

pattey - You are #3 (the last one).... 

Thanks again ladies for your help.  Like I said, I need people that are newbies, because that's the way this document should be written....  I will send you a message with my email address, just send me an email and I will forward the documents to you...

Sally - You should have the documents now in your email...